U.S. patent application number 10/378679 was filed with the patent office on 2003-09-11 for cam apparatus.
Invention is credited to Kiriaki, Hideki, Miyaji, Takayuki.
Application Number | 20030167874 10/378679 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27764444 |
Filed Date | 2003-09-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030167874 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Miyaji, Takayuki ; et
al. |
September 11, 2003 |
Cam apparatus
Abstract
A cam apparatus includes: a cam driver; a cam slide adapted to
move in contact with the cam driver and having a through hole; a
cam-slide supporting device having a cam-slide supporting base
which movably supports the cam slide, has a front wall portion
disposed at a forward position in a moving direction of the cam
slide, and has an opening in a backward position opposing the front
wall portion in the moving direction of the cam slide; and a
returning mechanism for returning the cam slide to an initial
position thereof.
Inventors: |
Miyaji, Takayuki;
(Fujisawa-shi, JP) ; Kiriaki, Hideki;
(Fujisawa-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NIXON & VANDERHYE, PC
1100 N GLEBE ROAD
8TH FLOOR
ARLINGTON
VA
22201-4714
US
|
Family ID: |
27764444 |
Appl. No.: |
10/378679 |
Filed: |
March 5, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
74/567 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B21D 28/32 20130101;
B21D 19/08 20130101; Y10T 74/2101 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
74/567 |
International
Class: |
F16H 053/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 7, 2002 |
JP |
2002-062063 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A cam apparatus comprising: a cam driver; a cam slide adapted to
move in contact with said cam driver and having a through hole;
cam-slide supporting means having a cam-slide supporting base which
movably supports said cam slide, has a front wall portion disposed
at a forward position in a moving direction of said cam slide, and
has an opening in a backward position opposing said front wall
portion in the moving direction of said cam slide; and a returning
mechanism for returning said cam slide to an initial position
thereof, said returning mechanism including a rod which is passed
through the through hole of said cam slide, a rod supporting member
which supports said rod slidably in the moving direction of said
cam slide and is detachably fitted to said cam slide at one open
end of the through hole of said cam slide located on an opening
side of said cam-slide supporting base, and a coil spring disposed
between said front wall portion and said rod supporting member in
such a manner as to surround said rod, so as to resiliently urge
said cam slide toward said opening of said cam-slide supporting
base.
2. The cam apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said rod has a
rod main body and a rod subsidiary body having one end portion
threadedly secured to one end portion of said rod main body.
3. The cam apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said rod
has one enlarged-diameter end portion abutting against said front
wall portion of said cam-slide supporting base and another
enlarged-diameter end portion located on the opening side of said
cam-slide supporting base.
4. The cam apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said coil spring
abuts against, at one end thereof, said one enlarged-diameter
portion and, at another end thereof, against one of said rod
supporting member and an adjusting plate disposed between said coil
spring and said rod supporting member.
5. The cam apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said cam
slide has a recessed portion in an end face located on the opening
side of said cam-slide supporting base, and said rod supporting
member is detachably fitted to said cam slide in the recessed
portion of said cam slide by means of a bolt.
6. The cam apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said
cam-slide supporting base includes both side wall portions arranged
on both sides of said cam slide and a suspending and supporting
mechanism for movably suspending and supporting said cam slide at
said both side wall portions, and wherein said cam-slide supporting
means has a drop preventing mechanism for preventing said cam slide
from dropping off said cam-slide supporting base, said drop
preventing mechanism having drop preventing plates which are
removably secured respectively to one of said front wall portion
and said both side wall portions on a front wall portion side and
to said both side wall portions on the opening side, so as to
receive said end portions of said rod when said cam slide
drops.
7. The cam apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said drop
preventing plates are removably secured respectively to one of a
lower surface of said front wall portion and lower surfaces of said
both side wall portions on the front wall portion side and to the
lower surfaces of said both side wall portions on the opening side
by means of bolts.
8. The cam apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said cam slide
includes a cam slide body and slide plates which are respectively
fitted to both side surfaces of said cam slide body so as to be
brought into sliding contact with said side wall portions of said
cam-slide supporting base, said suspending and supporting mechanism
has suspending members which are removably secured respectively to
lower surfaces of said both side wall portions, and distal ends of
said suspending members are disposed on lower surfaces of said
slide plates of said cam slide, thereby movably suspending said cam
slide.
9. The cam apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said cam
driver is adapted to be fixedly supported by said cam-slide
supporting base, said cam slide has a sliding surface with a shape
complementary to a sliding surface of said cam driver so as to
movably contact said sliding surface of said cam driver, and said
cam-slide supporting base is adapted to movably suspend and support
said cam slide so that said cam slide can move while being guided
by the sliding surface of said cam driver as the sliding surface of
said cam slide and the sliding surface of said cam driver are
brought into contact with each other.
10. The cam apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said rod
has a maximum diameter smaller than a diameter of the through hole,
and said coil spring has a maximum diameter smaller than the
diameter of the through hole.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a cam apparatus for
performing processing such as punching, bending, and the like with
respect to a workpiece such as a thin plate by means of a tool
fitted to a cam slide by causing the cam slide to slide by a cam
driver.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] A cam apparatus of a suspended cam type, for example,
generally comprises a cam driver which is adapted to be fixedly
supported by a cam-driver supporting base; a cam slide having a
sliding surface with a shape complementary to the sliding surface
of the cam driver so as to movably contact that sliding surface; a
cam-slide supporting base for movably suspending and supporting the
cam slide so that the cam slide can move while being guided by the
sliding surface of the cam driver as the sliding surface of the cam
slide and the sliding surface of the cam driver are brought into
contact with each other; and a returning mechanism having a coil
spring for generating a returning force for returning the cam slide
to its initial position.
[0005] In such a cam apparatus of the suspended cam type, at the
time of performing the operation of adjusting and confirming the
position of a tip of an edge tool in the state of a bottom dead
center, the operation of removing the coil spring which generates a
large returning force in the state of the bottom dead center is
normally effected in advance so as to facilitate the operation of
the position adjustment and confirmation.
[0006] Incidentally, the above-described operation of removing the
coil spring involves the operation of dismounting and mounting the
cam slide with respect to the cam-slide supporting base. Moreover,
after the operation of the position adjustment and confirmation,
the operation of dismounting and mounting the cam slide with
respect to the cam-slide supporting base is required again to fit
the coil spring.
[0007] In addition, the above-described troublesome operation is
required also in the maintenance, inspection, and replacement of
the coil spring in the cam apparatus which involves the operation
of dismounting and mounting the cam slide with respect to the
cam-slide supporting base for the operation of removing the coil
spring in the operation of adjusting and confirming the position of
the tip of the edge tool in the state of the bottom dead
center.
[0008] It should be noted that such a drawback does not occur only
in the cam apparatus of the suspended cam type, but similarly
occurs in the cam apparatus of the lower mounted type as well.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention has been devised in view of the
above-described aspects, and its object is to provide a cam
apparatus which makes it possible to speedily and easily effect the
operation of adjusting and confirming the position of the tool tip
and the operation of the maintenance, inspection, and replacement
of the coil spring without performing troublesome operation such as
the dismounting and mounting of the cam slide with respect to the
cam-slide supporting base.
[0010] To this end, in accordance with a first aspect of the
present invention, there is provided a cam apparatus comprising: a
cam driver; a cam slide adapted to move in contact with the cam
driver and having a through hole; cam-slide supporting means having
a cam-slide supporting base which movably supports the cam slide,
has a front wall portion disposed at a forward position in a moving
direction of the cam slide, and has an opening in a backward
position opposing the front wall portion in the moving direction of
the cam slide; and a returning mechanism for returning the cam
slide to an initial position thereof, the returning mechanism
including a rod which is passed through the through hole of the cam
slide, a rod supporting member which supports the rod slidably in
the moving direction of the cam slide and is detachably fitted to
the cam slide at one open end of the through hole of the cam slide
located on an opening side of the cam-slide supporting base, and a
coil spring disposed between the front wall portion and the rod
supporting member in such a manner as to surround the rod, so as to
resiliently urge the cam slide toward the opening of the cam-slide
supporting base.
[0011] In the cam apparatus according to the above-described first
aspect of the invention, since the rod supporting member is
detachably fitted to the cam slide at one open end of the through
hole of the cam slide, by removing the rod supporting member from
the cam slide, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of the
resiliency of the coil spring in the returning direction. Thus, it
is possible to eliminate the occurrence of the returning force in
the operation of adjusting and confirming the position of the tip
of the edge tool.
[0012] In the present invention, it suffices if, as in the cam
apparatus in accordance with a second aspect of the invention, the
rod has a rod main body and a rod subsidiary body having one end
portion threadedly secured to one end portion of the rod main body.
In the case of such a rod, since the rod main body and the rod
subsidiary body can be easily separated from each other, the coil
spring can be easily removed and fitted with respect to the
rod.
[0013] In addition, in the present invention, it suffices if, as in
the cam apparatus in accordance with a third aspect of the
invention, the rod has one enlarged-diameter end portion abutting
against the front wall portion of the cam-slide supporting base and
another enlarged-diameter end portion located on the opening side
of the cam-slide supporting base. In the case of such a rod, it is
possible to reliably prevent the rod from coming off the rod
supporting member.
[0014] In addition, in the present invention, it suffices if, as in
the cam apparatus in accordance with a fourth aspect of the
invention, the coil spring abuts against, at one end thereof, the
one enlarged-diameter portion and, at another end thereof, against
one of the rod supporting member and an adjusting plate disposed
between the coil spring and the rod supporting member. In the case
of such a coil spring, if the returning mechanism is pulled out
from the opening side of the cam-slide supporting base, the coil
spring can also be pulled out reliably. Moreover, in a case where
the adjusting plate is disposed between the rod supporting member
and the other end of the coil spring, it is possible to optimally
adjust the resiliency and, hence, the returning force of the coil
spring by using the adjusting plate of an appropriate
thickness.
[0015] In accordance with a fifth aspect of the present invention,
in the cam apparatus according to any one of the above-described
aspects, the cam slide has a recessed portion in an end face
located on the opening side of the cam-slide supporting base, and
the rod supporting member is detachably fitted to the cam slide in
the recessed portion of the cam slide by means of a bolt.
[0016] In accordance with the cam apparatus according to the fifth
aspect, it is possible to reduce or eliminate the projection of the
rod supporting member from the end face of the cam slide.
Accordingly, even if the rod supporting member is added, the length
of the apparatus in the moving direction of the cam slide does not
become long.
[0017] In accordance with a sixth aspect of the present invention,
in the cam apparatus according to any one of the above-described
aspects, the cam-slide supporting base includes both side wall
portions arranged on both sides of the cam slide and a suspending
and supporting mechanism for movably suspending and supporting the
cam slide at the both side wall portions. Further, the cam-slide
supporting means has a drop preventing mechanism for preventing the
cam slide from dropping off the cam-slide supporting base, the drop
preventing mechanism having drop preventing plates which are
removably secured respectively to one of the front wall portion and
the both side wall portions on a front wall portion side and to the
both side wall portions on the opening side, so as to receive the
end portions of the rod when the cam slide drops.
[0018] In accordance with the cam apparatus according to the sixth
aspect, the drop preventing mechanism has the drop preventing
plates which are removably secured respectively to one of the front
wall portion and both side wall portions on the front wall portion
side and to both side wall portions on the opening side so as to
receive the respective end portions of the rod when the cam slide
drops. Therefore, even if the suspending and supporting mechanism
fails to function, it is possible to prevent an unintentional drop
of the cam slide from the cam-slide supporting base, so that the
apparatus is extremely fail-safe.
[0019] As in the cam apparatus in accordance with a seventh aspect,
the drop preventing plates are removably secured respectively to
one of a lower surface of the front wall portion and lower surfaces
of the both side wall portions on the front wall portion side and
to the lower surfaces of the both side wall portions on the opening
side by means of bolts.
[0020] In accordance with the cam apparatus according to the
seventh aspect, since the drop preventing plates are secured to the
lower surfaces by means of the bolts, by loosening the bolts from
below and by removing them, it is possible to remove the drop
preventing plates simply, and the pulling-out operation of the
returning mechanism can be effected with greater ease without
difficulty.
[0021] In accordance with an eighth aspect of the present
invention, in the cam apparatus according to the above-described
sixth or seventh aspect, the cam slide includes a cam slide body
and slide plates which are respectively fitted to both side
surfaces of the cam slide body so as to be brought into sliding
contact with the respective side wall portions of the cam-slide
supporting base, the suspending and supporting mechanism has
suspending members which are removably secured respectively to
lower surfaces of the both side wall portions, and distal ends of
the suspending members are disposed on lower surfaces of the slide
plates of the cam slide, thereby movably suspending the cam
slide.
[0022] In accordance with a ninth aspect of the present invention,
in the cam apparatus according to any one of the above-described
aspects, the cam driver is adapted to be fixedly supported by the
cam-slide supporting base, the cam slide has a sliding surface with
a shape complementary to a sliding surface of the cam driver so as
to movably contact the sliding surface of the cam driver, and the
cam-slide supporting base is adapted to movably suspend and support
the cam slide so that the cam slide can move while being guided by
the sliding surface of the cam driver as the sliding surface of the
cam slide and the sliding surface of the cam driver are brought
into contact with each other.
[0023] In accordance with a tenth aspect of the present invention,
in the cam apparatus according to any one of the above-described
aspects, the rod has a maximum diameter smaller than a diameter of
the through hole, and the coil spring has a maximum diameter
smaller than the diameter of the through hole.
[0024] In accordance with the cam apparatus according to the tenth
aspect, the rod, which is passed through the through hole in the
cam slide, has a maximum diameter smaller than the diameter of the
through hole, and the coil spring, which is disposed between the
front wall portion and the rod supporting member in such a manner
as to surround the rod, has a maximum diameter smaller than the
diameter of the through hole. Thus, the returning mechanism formed
as a unit composed of the rod supporting member, the rod, and the
coil spring can be pulled out from the opening side of the
cam-slide supporting base. Consequently, it is possible to speedily
and easily effect the operation of adjusting and confirming the
position of the tool tip and the operation of the maintenance,
inspection, and replacement of the coil spring without performing
troublesome operation such as the dismounting and mounting of the
cam slide with respect to the cam-slide supporting base.
[0025] In accordance with the present invention, it is possible to
provide a cam apparatus which makes it possible to speedily and
easily effect the operation of adjusting and confirming the
position of the tool tip and the operation of the maintenance,
inspection, and replacement of the coil spring without performing
troublesome operation such as the dismounting and mounting of the
cam slide with respect to the cam-slide supporting base.
[0026] Hereafter, a description will be given of the present
invention with reference to the embodiment shown in the drawings.
It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the
embodiment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0027] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram, partly in section, of a
preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0028] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken in the direction of
arrows along line II-II of FIG. 1;
[0029] FIG. 3 is a left side elevational view of a portion shown in
FIG. 1;
[0030] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken in the direction of
arrows along line IV-IV of FIG. 1;
[0031] FIG. 5 is a diagram explaining the operation of the
embodiment shown in FIG. 1; and
[0032] FIG. 6 is a diagram explaining the operation of the
embodiment shown in FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0033] In FIGS. 1 to 4, a cam apparatus 1 of a suspended cam type
of this embodiment comprises a cam driver 3 which is adapted to be
fixedly supported by a cam-driver supporting base 2; a cam slide 7
having a sliding surface 5 with a shape complementary to a sliding
surface 4 of the cam driver 3 and having a through hole 6, so as to
movably contact the sliding surface 4; a cam-slide supporting means
11 having a cam-slide supporting base 10 for movably supporting the
cam slide 7 in a direction X and a direction Y so that the cam
slide 7 can move in the direction X while being guided by the
sliding surface 4 of the cam driver 3 as the sliding surface 5 of
the cam slide 7 and the sliding surface 4 of the cam driver 3 are
brought into contact with each other, the cam-slide supporting base
10 having a front wall portion 8 disposed at a forward position as
viewed in the moving direction X of the cam slide 7 and having an
opening with a recessed portion 9 in a backward position opposing
the front wall portion 8 as viewed in the moving direction X of the
cam slide 7; and a returning mechanism 12 for returning the cam
slide 7 to its initial position (position shown in FIG. 1).
[0034] The cam driver 3 includes a base body 15 fixed to the
cam-driver supporting base 2 by means of bolts or the like and a
projecting portion 17 formed integrally with an inclined upper
surface 16 of the base body 15. The sliding surface 4 in this
embodiment is formed in an inverse V-shape and is provided on the
projecting portion 17.
[0035] The cam slide 7 has a recessed portion 20 in an end face 19
located on the side of an opening 18 defined by the recessed
portion 9 of the cam-slide supporting base 10, and is adapted to
move in contact with the cam driver 3. The cam slide 7 includes a
cam slide body 25 in which the aforementioned through hole 6 and
the recessed portion 20 communicating with the through hole 6 are
respectively formed; slide plates 30 and 31 which are respectively
fitted to side surfaces 28 and 29 of the cam slide body 25 by means
of stud bolts or the like in such a manner as to come into sliding
contact with side wall portions 26 and 27, respectively, of the
cam-slide supporting base 10; a slide plate 34 fitted to an upper
surface 33 of the cam slide body 25 by means of stud bolts or the
like in such a manner as to come into sliding contact with a base
portion 32 of the cam-slide supporting base 10; and a bifurcating
projecting portion 36 formed integrally with an inclined lower
surface 35 of the cam slide body 25. The sliding surface 5 in this
embodiment is formed in an inverse V-shape and is provided on the
projecting portion 36. A tool such as an edge tool is mounted on a
front surface 37 of the cam slide body 25 by means of bolts or the
like.
[0036] The cam-slide supporting means 11 has, in addition to the
cam-slide supporting base 10, a drop preventing mechanism 41 for
preventing the cam slide 7 from dropping off the cam-slide
supporting base 10.
[0037] The cam-slide supporting base 10 includes the base portion
32; both side wall portions 26 and 27 arranged on both sides of the
cam slide body 25 of the cam slide 7 and formed integrally on both
sides of the base portion 32; the front wall portion 8 formed
integrally with both side wall portions 26 and 27 and the base
portion 32 in such a manner as to bridge both side wall portions 26
and 27; and a suspending and supporting mechanism 42 for movably
suspending and supporting the cam slide 7 at both side wall
portions 26 and 27. The base portion 32 is secured to a foundation
bed 43, which is attached to a hydraulic ram or the like, by means
of bolts or the like. A cavity 44 is defined by the front wall
portion 8, both side wall portions 26 and 27, and the base portion
32. An upper portion of the cam slide body 25 is disposed in the
cavity 44, which is open at the opening 18, in such a manner as to
be movable in the X and Y directions.
[0038] The suspending and supporting mechanism 42 has a pair of
plate-like suspending members 47 and 48 secured to lower surfaces
45 and 46 of respective both side wall portions 26 and 27 in such a
manner as to be removable by stud bolts or the like. Distal ends of
the suspending members 47 and 48 are disposed on lower surfaces 49
and 50 of the slide plates 30 and 31 of the cam slide 7, thereby
suspending the cam slide 7 movably in the X and Y directions.
[0039] The cam-slide supporting base 10 is adapted to suspend and
support the cam slide 7 movably in the X and Y directions by means
of the suspending and supporting mechanism 42, such that the cam
slide 7 can move in the X and Y directions while being guided by
the sliding surface 4 of the cam driver 3 as the sliding surface 5
of the cam slide 7 and the sliding surface 4 of the cam driver 3
contact each other.
[0040] The drop preventing mechanism 41 has a pair of drop
preventing plates 59 and 60 which are removably secured
respectively to the front wall portion 8 or both side wall portions
26 and 27 on the front wall portion 8 side, i.e., to the front wall
portion 8 in this embodiment, and to both side wall portions 26 and
27 on the opening 18 side by means of bolts 58, so as to receive
enlarged-diameter end portions 56 and 57 at both ends of a rod 55
when the cam slide 7 drops unintentionally.
[0041] The drop preventing plate 59 is removably secured to a lower
surface 61 of the front wall portion 8 by means of the bolts 58 on
the front wall portion 8 side. Meanwhile, the drop preventing plate
60 is removably secured to the lower surfaces 45 and 46 of both
side wall portions 26 and 27 by means of the bolts 58 on the
opening 18 side in such a manner as to bridge the side wall
portions 26 and 27.
[0042] Even if the bolts securing the suspending members 47 and 48
of the suspending and supporting mechanism 42 to the lower surfaces
45 and 46 of the side wall portions 26 and 27 are loosened, and the
suspending members 47 and 48 drop off the lower surfaces 45 and 46
of the side wall portions 26 and 27, the drop preventing mechanism
41 is adapted to prevent the cam slide 7 from dropping off the
cam-slide supporting base 10 by receiving the enlarged-diameter end
portions 56 and 57 of the rod 55 from below by the drop preventing
plates 59 and 60. Further, the drop preventing plates 59 and 60 are
adapted to be removed from the front wall portion 8 and the side
wall portions 26 and 27, respectively, by loosening and removing
the bolts 58.
[0043] The returning mechanism 12 includes the rod 55 which is
passed through the through hole 6 in the cam slide body 25 of the
cam slide 7 and has a maximum diameter D2 smaller than a diameter
D1 of the through hole 6; a rod supporting member 67 which supports
the rod 55 slidably in the moving directions X and Y of the cam
slide 7, and which is detachably fitted to the cam slide body 25 of
the cam slide 7 by means of a pair of bolts 66 at an open end 65 of
the through hole 6 in the cam slide body 25 located on the opening
18 side of the cam-slide supporting base 10; and a coil spring 68
which is disposed between the front wall portion 8 and the rod
supporting member 67 in such a manner as to surround the rod 55,
and has a maximum diameter D3 smaller than the diameter D1 of the
through hole 6, so as to return the cam slide 7 to its initial
position (position shown in FIG. 1) by resiliently urging the cam
slide 7 toward the opening 18 of the cam-slide supporting base
10.
[0044] The rod 55 has the enlarged-diameter end portion 56 abutting
against the front wall portion 8 of the cam-slide supporting base
10; the enlarged-diameter end portion 57 located on the opening 18
side of the cam-slide supporting base 10; a rod main body 71 having
the enlarged-diameter end portion 57 provided integrally therewith;
and a rod subsidiary body 72 which is threadedly secured at one end
portion thereof to one end portion of the rod main body 71 and with
which the enlarged-diameter end portion 56 is provided
integrally.
[0045] The rod supporting member 67 is detachably fitted to the cam
slide body 25 of the cam slide 7 by means of the bolts 66 in the
recessed portion 20 of the cam slide body 25.
[0046] The coil spring 68 abuts against, at one end, the
enlarged-diameter portion 56 and, at the other end, an annular
adjusting plate 73 disposed between the coil spring 68 and the rod
supporting member 67 and fitted over the rod main body 71. It
should be noted that in a case where the enlarged-diameter portion
56 is not provided, the one end of the coil spring 68 may abut
against the front wall portion 8. In addition, in a case where the
adjusting plate 73 for adjusting the spring force of the coil
spring 68 by its thickness is not provided, the other end of the
coil spring 68 may abut against the rod supporting member 67.
[0047] The returning mechanism 12 operates as follows: As the
foundation bed 43 and the cam-slide supporting base 10 are lowered
in a D direction due to the operation of the hydraulic ram (not
shown) connected to the foundation bed 43, the cam slide 7 is moved
in the X direction by the cam driver 3, as shown in FIG. 5.
Subsequently, as the cam-slide supporting base 10 together with the
foundation bed 43 is raised in a U direction due to the reverse
operation of the hydraulic ram, the returning mechanism 12 moves
the cam slide 7 in the Y direction by means of the resiliency of
the coil spring 68, thereby returning the cam slide 7 to its
initial position in which the end face 19 of the cam slide body 25
abuts against a stepped portion 75 of the base portion 32, as shown
in FIG. 1.
[0048] In the above-described cam apparatus 1, when the hydraulic
ram is operated in the state in which the cam slide 7 has been
returned to the initial position shown in FIG. 1, and the cam-slide
supporting base 10 together with the foundation bed 43 is lowered
in the D direction, the cam slide 7 is moved in the X direction due
to the contact of its sliding surface 5 against the sliding surface
4 of the cam driver 3, as shown in FIG. 5. Then, a tool attached to
the front surface 37 of the cam slide body 25 is adapted to effect
bending, for example.
[0049] After the bending, in the cam apparatus 1, if the hydraulic
ram is reversibly operated, and the cam-slide supporting base 10
together with the foundation bed 43 is raised in the U direction,
the cam slide 7, in conjunction with the cancellation of the
contact of its sliding surface 5 against the sliding surface 4 of
the cam driver 3, is moved in the Y direction by the resiliency of
the coil spring 68 of the returning mechanism 12, thereby returning
to its initial position, as shown in FIG. 1.
[0050] As described above, the cam apparatus 1 is arranged such
that the rod supporting member 67 is detachably fitted to the cam
slide 7 at the open end 65 of the through hole 6 of the cam slide
7, and the rod 55 which is passed through the through hole 6 in the
cam slide 7 has the maximum diameter D2 smaller than the diameter
D1 of the through hole 6. Further, the coil spring 68, which is
disposed between the front wall portion 8 and the rod supporting
member 67 in such a manner as to surround the rod 55, has the
maximum diameter D3 smaller than the diameter D1 of the through
hole 6. Thus, after the drop preventing plate 60 is removed from
each of the side wall portions 26 and 27 by loosening the bolts 58,
the rod supporting member 67 can be removed from the cam slide body
25 of the cam slide 7 by loosening the bolts 66. As a result, it
is, first of all, possible to prevent the occurrence of the
resiliency of the coil spring 68 in the returning direction. Thus,
it is possible to prevent the occurrence of the returning force in
the operation of adjusting and confirming the position of the tool
tip in the state of the bottom dead center shown in FIG. 5.
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 6, the returning mechanism 12 formed as
a unit composed of the rod supporting member 67, the rod 55, and
the coil spring 68 can be pulled out from the opening 18 side of
the cam-slide supporting base 10. Consequently, it is possible to
speedily and easily effect the operation of adjusting and
confirming the position of the tool tip and the operation of the
maintenance, inspection, and replacement of the coil spring 68
without performing troublesome operation such as the dismounting
and mounting of the cam slide 7 with respect to the cam-slide
supporting base 10.
[0051] In addition, with the cam apparatus 1, since the rod 55 has
the rod main body 71 and the rod subsidiary body 72 threadedly
secured to the rod main body 71, the rod main body 71 and the rod
subsidiary body 72 can be easily separated from each other, so that
the coil spring 68 can be easily removed and fitted with respect to
the rod 55. Furthermore, since the rod 55 has the enlarged-diameter
end portions 56 and 57, it is possible to reliably prevent the rod
55 from unintentionally coming off the rod supporting member
67.
[0052] In addition, with the cam apparatus 1, since the coil spring
68 at its one end abuts against the enlarged-diameter end portion
56, if the returning mechanism 12 is pulled out from the opening 18
side of the cam-slide supporting base 10, the coil spring 68 can
also be pulled out reliably. Moreover, since the adjusting plate 73
is disposed between the rod supporting member 67 and the other end
of the coil spring 68, it is possible to optimally adjust the
resiliency and, hence, the returning force of the coil spring 68 by
using the adjusting plate 73 of an appropriate thickness. In
addition, since the rod supporting member 67 is detachably fitted
to the cam slide 7 at the recessed portion 20 by means of the bolts
66, it is possible to reduce or eliminate the projection of the rod
supporting member 67 from the end face 19 of the cam slide 7.
Accordingly, even if the rod supporting member 67 is added, the
length of the apparatus in the moving direction of the cam slide 7
does not become long.
[0053] Furthermore, with the cam apparatus 1, the drop preventing
mechanism 41 consists of the drop preventing plates 59 and 60 which
are removably secured respectively to the front wall portion 8 and
the side wall portions 26 and 27 so as to receive the
enlarged-diameter end portions 56 and 57 at both ends of the rod 55
when the cam slide 7 drops, as described above. Therefore, even if
the suspending and supporting mechanism 42 fails to function, it is
possible to prevent an unintentional drop of the cam slide 7 from
the cam-slide supporting base 10, so that the apparatus is
extremely fail-safe. In addition, since the drop preventing plate
59 and the drop preventing plate 60 are removably secured to the
lower surface 61 of the front wall portion 8 and to the lower
surfaces 45 and 46 of both side wall portions 26 and 27,
respectively, by means of the bolts 58, by loosening the bolts 58
from below and by removing them, it is possible to remove the drop
preventing plates 59 and 60 simply. Also, since the drop preventing
plate 60 can be removed simply, the pulling-out operation of the
returning mechanism 12 can be effected with greater ease without
difficulty.
* * * * *